IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #22

[GrainneDhu]

This is really disturbing. Especially the part that says he "Narc'd" other people out to reduce his sentence from 45 yrs to 10. That and the part where he broke his wife's finger. I can't help feeling that the girls missing and death is by the hands of someone he Narc'd on.
My opinion only. I have no information or facts other than this to back up my thoughts.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/lyric-cook-morrissey-elizabeth-collins_n_1710467.html

The problem is, that's not the order of events in the timeline.

DM was offered a plea deal as of 12 July. The way those usually happen is that the defence attorney makes what is called a proffer to the prosecutor. A proffer is an outline of the sort of information the defendant might hypothetically offer in return for a reduction of charges, sentencing or both. The proffer doesn't usually include enough specific information to arrest anyone else and it's not due cause, either. It's all phrased in hypotheticals.

It isn't until the plea deal is accepted that the defendant has to give up the specific information alluded to in the proffer.

Dan Morrissey hadn't accept the plea bargain yet, so he had not given up the specific information as of 12 July, when he decided to turn it down. From a LE point of view, the proffer was no more than a fairy tale.

Anyone likely to feel endangered by DM would have been feeling very relieved and grateful the evening of 12 July because he was not going to give up his specific information.

After the girls disappeared, DM decided to give all the information he had to LE in the hope that it would lead to finding the two girls.

Whoever might have been threatened by what DM knew would have been the girls' bodyguard if they could see into the future! It was greatly to those hypotheticals disadvantage for the girls to disappear like that because it pretty much guaranteed that DM would stop looking for a plea deal and just give up the information.

I am troubled also by the account of the domestic violence incident but I keep two things in mind. One, we haven't heard DM's side of the story; right now, it is she said only. I'm not saying I believe MC is a liar but it's very common for two different people to have two different versions of the same event and for both people to believe their own version.

Two, even if it is true as known now, were there any mitigating circumstances? We don't know.

All I really know is that DM is in a position I would never wish on anyone. It is in the natural order of life for parents to die before their children. It is very sad but to an extent we are all prepared for that. I don't think anyone is prepared for their child to die before them and there is absolutely nothing that can prepare someone for that possibility.

 

[Dr. Know?]

Central Iowans Gather to Honor Evansdale Cousins

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Central-Iowans-Gather-to-Honor-Evansdale-Cousins.html

I haven't watched all of this but did read it.

Snipped

Meanwhile, the Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers are still accepting donations from the public. Organizers said the money goes to a reward fund, offered to anyone who can provide information leading to an arrest in the case.

Contributions can be mailed to Crime Stoppers, in care of Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook, at P.O. Box 1510, Waterloo, Iowa, 50704.

Donations will be accepted until Dec. 21.

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Central-Iowans-Gather-to-Honor-Evansdale-Cousins.html


Why only until 12/21? hmmm

 

[GrainneDhu]

Well I think the honey badger is going to have to get down there when the park opens back up and get some good pictures.

Get some Tecnu; poison ivy stalks can cause the rash just as much as the leaves can. And they're harder to identify because the leaves are off them this time of year.

Remember to wash everything off, including your shoes.

 

[Dr. Know?]

That extra reward money is smelling like a Lenny Padilla reward at the moment...

or pretty positvie they don't need one. Cool beans if so.

 

[chelsea6]

I noticed one of the younger male sex offenders now lives in Waterloo, but has an address on Gilbert avenue in Evansdale attached to him.. which is right off of Meyers lake. Did anyone notice this?

 

[Marilynilpa]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2012/12/08/missing-girls-community/1755905/

In their sermons Sunday, clergy in Evansdale and surrounding communities plan to counsel their congregations. Thorpe will remind listeners that it is the people left behind who now are suffering.

"We don't grieve as much for them but for the loss of their presence with us, and that's really where we have to deal," he said. "We have to address the needs of the people who are left."

 

[GrainneDhu]

Maybe a local to the area can help me out, but in July or August was the water level up to where the white spots in the pictures are? I know the rivers are very dried up now, but what about then?

Water levels are slightly higher now than they were then since there have been a few good storms in the fall.

 

[GrainneDhu]

I don't think we can assume anything about whether the autopsies were quick or not. Clearly these cases would be priority #1. And if anything, I would assume skeletal remains would be quicker to autopsy, if you think about what a full autopsy entails. So really, I don't think the autopsies being completed in a few days time means abolutely anything relevant other than the fact that they are completed.

I'm thinking that there will be a tentative ID very soon, with official confirmation by DNA at a later point.

There's also the fact that Iowa has a relatively small population for its size, so there aren't that many dead bodies to autopsy at any given time.

 

[GrainneDhu]

I know in the county I live in, in July and August we have less rain than BlackHawk county and we had 4 drownings in the Iowa river.

The Iowa River has a deeper channel than the Wapsipinicon.

 

[GrainneDhu]

I don't know for sure cinder but I mapped Meyers lake to 7 bridges and chose the bike route. If you can get from where your perp lives to Meyers, he could get to there. I just don't think it's him at least not yet or have in the past. This to me is a very active, born there local to one of the surrounding towns or from Evansdale itself. jmo Not by bike though. Also, knows this area very very well.

Motor vehicles are prohibited on the nature trails, so an ATV on one would have drawn attention.

 

[georger]

There's also the fact that Iowa has a relatively small population for its size, so there aren't that many dead bodies to autopsy at any given time.

I feel rather strongly that both areas are tied together, in a single person;
someone who knew both areas, and perhaps someone who had a reason
(and wouldnt be noticed) at the Lake at Evansdale. A County worker?

The dump site is just too far off the beaten path to be found by accident -
almost requires prior knowledge.

I hate to fall back on this but most crimes against children are done by
people who know them? The apple doesnt fall far from the tree.

And this is somebody with serious mental issues! That implies a record of
some kind.

As someone else has suggsted, the original target (or stimulus) may have
been one of the girls, then with two present it became a two-for-one
proposition. Its hard to conceive of two girls of this age being handled by
one person, so one may have gone along on the promise if she did and
cooperated the other would be safe, or they both would be safe and
released ... or they knew their abductor. A vehicle is almost required in
their abduction at the lake. The abductor may have told them people were
looking for them and there was an emergency at home! They drop their bikes
and get into the perp's vehicle? Once in the vehicle they have no easy way
out ... and they are taken who knows where ...

 

[GrainneDhu]

The 2012 drought compared to the 1988 drought

So far, the state rainfall average for the month of July is only 0.35 inches. In 1988, rainfall returned to normal in August. But even if history repeats itself, it may be too late.

http://www.kwwl.com/story/19057689/the-2012-drought-compared-to-the-1988-drought

Sadly, we're in for another drought year next year. We've had relatively warm, dry weather so far this winter which presages a hot, dry summer. Plus my neighbour, who is a weather witch and quite accurate, is getting ready to put in drought resistant corn next year.

If anyone can spare a prayer or good thought for the Iowa farmer, it will be much appreciated.

 

[hollyblue]

Looking at this picture, I can bet my bottom dollar those bodies were placed recently.

Well, you know cindersoot, you may be expected to make a trip to Seven Bridges sometime next week for a full i report and pics. Not alone tho!!!!

 

[Dr. Know?]

Motor vehicles are prohibited on the nature trails, so an ATV on one would have drawn attention.

I agree but google doesn't "back" this route and it doesn't appear to be a local or gov't funded trail so to me anything goes basically but it is possible and it gives a zig zag route between them both with a 1 hour 42 minute distance via a bike so it's not that far going the back way. I'm talking ATV. Faster. I guess you have to map it or know it first hand, I surely don't. Meyers Lake to 7 Bridges County Park. I think it's far fetched but possible. If you know the back way that a local would know. My guess would be 3 hours round trip. jmo

 

[GrainneDhu]

This comment makes no sense to me:

"Sorenson feels strongly that if the Evansdale girls’ kidnapper knew he or she would face death if caught and convicted, the girls might not have been killed."

BBM

:waitasec:Really? Someone kidnaps two little girls, which would mean life in prison if caught, IMO. But that same person would not kill them if he knew he'd face the death penalty?

I hope cooler heads prevail in this situation. If any legislation is going to take place as a result of Lyric and Lizzie's deaths, let it be something that will be a positive reflection upon them. JMO

ETA: Here's the link to the article in case someone missed my earlier post:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/ar...-deaths-lead-talk-reviving-death-penalty-Iowa

I know most criminals are not real bright but it would take an even dimmer criminal than most to commit a crime such as murdering two girls if he thought he was going to be caught.

That's the problem with stiffer penalties in general: the vast majority of criminals don't expect to get caught. That's why they do things like wear gloves, make sure there are no witnesses, etc.

Oh well, every governmental body has a version of a village idiot in it and I guess we've revealed who Iowa's governmental idiot is. One of the virtues of a free press is the right of the politician to make a fool of themself and be published for it.

 

[georger]

Sadly, we're in for another drought year next year. We've had relatively warm, dry weather so far this winter which presages a hot, dry summer. Plus my neighbour, who is a weather witch and quite accurate, is getting ready to put in drought resistant corn next year.

If anyone can spare a prayer or good thought for the Iowa farmer, it will be much appreciated.

I follow NOAA (and space weather) as a part of my job. Humbolt current
temps finally dropped in September causing a NOAA alert. Within two
weeks the middle section of the US got rain due to a shift north in the jet
stream. The (el nino/la nina) ocean current temps have continued to drop
so a shift is occurring - the only issue is how fast. By Oct the State
Climatologist issued a report he did not believe Iowa would have a
prolonged drought, all based on the NOAA data. Last week NOAA issued a
new report saying the jet stream has now shifted to a more normal
position (north of its summer coordinates). This all implies more moisture
than last year into 2013. You can check all of this at the NOAA website ..
or IaState Climatologist.

Call your area Extension Service.

Don't quote me! lease:

 

[Dr. Know?]

Georger, El Nino fizzled in AZ. Dry winter sadly. We need rain now. It seems we trade off with the not normally drought states all the time. Ahhh, Mother Nature. Iowa you are next then give the darn rain back to the dryest part of the whole country please. tyvm

 

[GrainneDhu]

I feel rather strongly that both areas are tied together, in a single person;
someone who knew both areas, and perhaps someone who had a reason
(and wouldnt be noticed) at the Lake at Evansdale. A County worker?

The dump site is just too far off the beaten path to be found by accident -
almost requires prior knowledge.

I hate to fall back on this but most crimes against children are done by
people who know them? The apple doesnt fall far from the tree.

And this is somebody with serious mental issues! That implies a record of
some kind.

As someone else has suggsted, the original target (or stimulus) may have
been one of the girls, then with two present it became a two-for-one
proposition. Its hard to conceive of two girls of this age being handled by
one person, so one may have gone along on the promise if she did and
cooperated the other would be safe, or they both would be safe and
released ... or they knew their abductor. A vehicle is almost required in
their abduction at the lake. The abductor may have told them people were
looking for them and there was an emergency at home! They drop their bikes
and get into the perp's vehicle? Once in the vehicle they have no easy way
out ... and they are taken who knows where ...

I agree with much of the above.

One thing both sites have in common is that they are very close to places that have been used by teen partiers. Maiden Lane is just a stone's throw from the bike trail around Meyer's Lake and the dead end close to where the girls' bodies were found is also known as a teen party spot.

In any case, both known crime sites scream local knowledge.

Law enforcement has said that neither family is suspected. But that doesn't mean it couldn't have been someone with a casual connection, such as seeing one or both girls at the store, being connected through any community or church group they attended, etc.

I look at the place the bicycles were found and I think the perp was standing in the trail and when one girl tried to ride by, he just stepped over, grabbed her by the arm or hair and yanked her off her bicycle. When I was a kid, there was a little patch of woods that we rode through and a couple kids thought it was fun to ambush the rest of us in just that manner. A 60 pound kid can yank a 120 pound kid off a bicycle that way quite easily, it's the sideways pull that does it.

If the perp had physical control over one girl (grabbing her by the arm or hair), I think the other girl would be easy to control and overall, it would actually be easier to abduct two than it would to abduct one. Threatening one kid would keep the other under control. You can tell people that if their buddy is threatened, the best thing they can do is run for help but how many people could do that? How many adults, let alone children? I know it is the best strategy in theory but if I were standing there watching some guy hold a knife to my cousin's throat I don't know that I could actually force myself to run away. I hope I could but I can't say for sure that I could.

And if he failed? He'd just let go and run away, as we've seen in so many cases of suspected abduction attempts. The abductor isn't risking much so long as they have some method of getting away quickly. In this case, it would be a vehicle hidden on Maiden Lane.

 

[georger]

Georger, El Nino fizzled in AZ. Dry winter sadly. We need rain now. It seems we trade off with the not normally drought states all the time. Ahhh, Mother Nature. Iowa you are next then give the darn rain back to the dryest part of the whole country please. tyvm

I know. I have family and associates there. Hang in there! :twocents:

 

[GrainneDhu]

Georger, El Nino fizzled in AZ. Dry winter sadly. We need rain now. It seems we trade off with the not normally drought states all the time. Ahhh, Mother Nature. Iowa you are next then give the darn rain back to the dryest part of the whole country please. tyvm

Arizona is beautiful but... how much do you enjoy eating? And how much are you willing to pay for a beef roast or pork loin?

Iowa had an unusually long period of fairly wet spring and summer weather but history tells me we won't enjoy such weather for long. I vividly remember the droughts of the 70s and 80s. It is hard to accept but drought is a normal part of the weather cycle over this part of the country.